Premium economy has become the sweet spot for long-haul flyers who want real comfort without business-class fares, and Delta's version — Premium Select — is one of the more complete packages out there. Launched in October 2017 on an Airbus A350-900 flight from Detroit to Tokyo Narita, it now sits between Main Cabin and Delta One on much of Delta's international network.
The core selling point is the seat: 38 inches of pitch and roughly 19 inches of width, with adjustable headrests and leg rests and a generous seven inches of recline. Layout depends on the aircraft. On A350-900s you'll find a 2-4-2 configuration, while the older Boeing 767-300ERs and 767-400ERs offer a roomier-feeling 2-2-2 layout where every passenger has direct aisle access.
Dining gets a genuine step up too. Meals are served on sugarcane-fiber plates with linen napkins, metal cutlery and glassware, and you can pre-select your main course through the Fly Delta app up to 24 hours before departure. Add a welcome drink on boarding and an amenity kit with lip balm, hand cream, an eye mask and socks, plus noise-canceling headphones and in-seat power, and the cabin feels a clear notch above economy.
The perks start on the ground: SkyPriority check-in, security and baggage handling, plus priority boarding so you can settle in without the scrum.
Where can you book it? Most major transatlantic and transpacific routes carry the cabin — think JFK to Paris, LAX to London Heathrow, Seattle to Taipei or Shanghai, Detroit to Seoul, and LA to Melbourne. It has also appeared on shorter international runs like Atlanta to Quito and Bogotá, and Detroit or Minneapolis to Reykjavík. Closer to home, it flies on some Hawaii routes such as JFK to Honolulu, and since September 2024 on transcontinental JFK–LAX and JFK–San Francisco services operated by 767s.
Delta's fleet plans suggest the product will only spread further. The airline has 20 Airbus A350-1000s and 30 Boeing 787-10s on order, both almost certain to feature Premium Select given their long-haul roles, alongside 100 737 MAX 10s and a growing A321neo fleet. All told, Delta operates around 1,004 aircraft with 327 more on order.
For travellers, the takeaway is simple: if you're facing a nine-hour-plus flight and full business class is out of budget, checking whether Premium Select is on your aircraft is worth a few minutes. The seat, dining and priority services combine to make a long haul noticeably less punishing — and on 767 routes, everyone gets aisle access.
